Police nabs top NPA member in Tuguegarao

POLICE intelligence operatives have arrested on late Friday afternoon in Cagayan province a top officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels operating in Northern Luzon, police reports said on Saturday.

Cagayan Valley Regional police commander, Chief Supt. Rodrigo de Gracia, in a report sent to Camp Crame, identified the arrested NPA member as Rene Emondo Abiva.

De Gracia said in the report that Abiva was apprehended by intelligence operatives at around 4:35pm Friday at Taft St., Bagumbayan, Tuguegarao, Cagayan province.

The arrest was made base on a warrant of arrest for murder issued by a regional trial court in Ifugao, the police official said in the report.

The police official said that Abiva is reportedly a former cadre and also member of the Regional White Area committee of the CPP-NPA operating in the Cagayan Valley region.

Abiva is the husband of Mildred Goyagoy, former secretary of Karapatan, who likewise was facing murder charges in connection with the ambush of government troops in Ifugao last April.

De Gracia said Abiva is now at the custody of the Tuguegarao Police Station for documentation and tactical interrogation prior to his turn over to the court.